Other communiquéshttp://farc-epeace.org
Tue, 20 Mar 2018 02:19:53 +0000Joomla! - Open Source Content Managementen-gbIt's time to comply with the agreementshttp://farc-epeace.org/communiques/other-communiques/item/2541-its-time-to-comply-with-the-agreements.html
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The XXIII Meeting of the Sao Paulo Forum, held in Managua, Nicaragua, Central America, from the 15th to the 19th of July, 2017, approved the following Resolution for Peace in Colombia, based on the following considerations:

The Sao Paulo Forum has enthusiastically accompanied the achievement of the Peace Agreement in our sister Republic of Colombia, signed last November 24 in Bogotá, ending 53 years of war and several frustrated attempts at negotiation.

We greet the categorical decision of the FARC-EP to fully comply with the agreements during the first seven months of its implementation, which have allowed the conclusion of the historical lay down of weapons of the insurgency, certified by the UN Security Council, and has shown its will to transform itself into a party or open and legal political movement by the end of August.

We emphasize that the peace agreement contains substantial elements to democratize the country through the opening of the political and social system, comprehensive rural reform, the substitution of illicit crops concerted with the peasantry, the search for truth, justice and reparation of the victims of the armed conflict through the creation of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, and the guarantees of personal and collective security for combatants in reincorporation to the political, social, economic and cultural life, that demand a high commitment of the Colombian State to guarantee a stable and lasting peace.

In this regard, we note with concern the delays and tardiness of the Colombian institutionality in the task of implementing and complying with the Havana Agreement, as it is happening with the Amnesty and Pardon Law, which, despite being in force for 7 months , has not yet been effectively implemented, to the extent that about 1600 FARC guerrillas are still in prisons, a situation that has forced political prisoners to develop a hunger strike, putting their lives at stake despite having been amnestied in paper, which is something that has been generating an environment of instability and risk of the whole peace process.

Therefore, the Sao Paulo Forum endorses the demands of the United Nations, demanding that the Colombian State immediately remedy these delays by releasing the guerrillas, guaranteeing their life and security, as well as that of the social and popular movement which calls for the dismantling of paramilitarism.

We also urge the Government and the National Liberation Army (ELN) to advance in the search for agreements that will lead the country to a complete peace, as demanded by the Colombian people.

From Managua, the member parties of the Sao Paulo Forum reaffirm our strong support for the peace process in Colombia and request President Juan Manuel Santos to honor the agreements, thus honoring the pledge of the Colombian State.

Long live the Peace of Colombia that nurtures the dream of making our region an area of ​​Peace.

Bogotá, 13 July 2017 - In accordance with resolution 2366 (2017) approved by the Security Council on July 10, which grants the United Nations Mission in Colombia the task of initiating verification of the reincorporation of members of the FARC-EP into the civil life.

The UN Mission urgently appeals for the solution of the situation of members of the FARC-EP who are still deprived of their liberty, despite Law 1820 of 2016 approved on December 31 of last year and the decrees issued by government to expedite this process.

The detention of FARC-EP members in prisons for more than six months after congress passed the Amnesty Law and two weeks after the end of the individual arms laydown undermines the process of reintegration and the consolidation of peace.

Added to this is the insecurity of members of the FARC-EP outside the local zones, proved by the cases of threats and homicides against them and their families.

Faced with the impasse of the release of FARC-EP prisoners, it is important that the institutional actors involved in the amnesty process act with responsibility and speed to end a situation that weakens the construction of peace.

Dear comrades, on behalf of the Makevski Urban Committee of the Leninist Communist Youth Union of the Donetsk People´s Republic, we send a warm greeting of camaraderie.

Taking into account the activities of Communists from Colombia, Switzerland, Germany, Italy and other countries, we Communists of the war burnt Donbass admire from you: your courage, your resistance, your determination and your conviction; the mere fact of expressing your standpoint and ideas in the 21st century is supremely complex, moreover, if those are from a left-wing perspective.

Nowadays, to run a struggle from the youths, and even more, to understand them in the struggle and the movement is something of great difficulty. But the most important task is to understand that the youth is the foundation and future of any country in the world.

We express with conviction that both the communist youths of Colombia and those of the Donetsk People's Republic will do everything in our power to continue strengthening the friendship between our countries and our peoples.

With all our spirit we wish you victory, successes in your tasks, resistance and tenacity in the fight for a better life of workers, youths and all the inhabitants of Colombia, and we hope for a very long and fruitful cooperation.

With a youthful heart we repeat words of oath.

We raise the flag for our sacred rights.

Once again dark forces dig the grave of the world.

All who are honest rise up with us

Against the flames of war.

Long live the friendship between the leftist forces of the Donbass and Colombia in the name of freedom and prosperity of the people, long live socialism.

A warm communist greeting,

First Secretary of the Urban Committee of Makevski,

Member of the of the Central Committee of the Leninist Communist Youth Union of the Donetsk People's Republic

Bogotá, November 21 - The United Nations Country Team and the UN Mission in Colombia express concern about violent actions, including recent killings, targeting social leaders in several conflict-affected areas.

The United Nations understands the fears voiced by affected social organizations and their call for urgent action to prevent the escalation of violence, which undermines confidence in the prospect of a stable and lasting peace on the eve of the expected signing of the Final Agreement between the Government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People’s Army (FARC-EP).

We support the decision of President Juan Manuel Santos to convene a high-level meeting of the National Human Rights Commission and the Attorney General's decision to advance investigations into the latest facts presented. We hope that speedy investigations, as requested by the Office of the Ombudsman, and the measures that may be taken by the various State agencies, will contribute to protect the civilian population and create greater tranquility among communities.

The Final Peace Agreement provides for the implementation of several measures aimed precisely at ensuring security for social organizations’ male and female leaders and human rights defenders as well as security for political action, in particular through the installation of the National Commission on Security Guarantees.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is currently conducting a series of field verification missions. Following their completion, the public will be informed of the results.

The United Nations Agencies, Funds and Programmes as well as the UN Mission in Colombia reiterate their commitment to protect the civilian population, within the framework of their respective mandates, and to provide continued support to build peace and respond to the expectations of the Colombian population, particularly in the conflict-affected territories.

On Saturday, November 12, 2016, a meeting was held between members of the Youth Pact for Peace and the Peace Delegation of the FARC-EP in the city of Havana, Cuba; The content and scope of the Pact was made known.

At this meeting, the young people of the Pact and the Delegation of the FARC-EP expressed their intention to contribute to national debates, based on respect and ethics without giving up the ideas and approaches of each party, movement or citizen group.

The visit of the young people that make up the Pact had the purpose of publicizing the content of the document, which has been socialized with all political and social sectors of Colombia.

The purpose of the Pact is to establish a collective dialogue that will advance the construction of peace and reconciliation of Colombian society. We are committed to eliminate the use of all types of violence to handle differences.

The FARC-EP supported the Pact initiative as an input to a stable and lasting peace.

The youths subscribed to the Pact are attentive to the results of the New Peace Agreement.

New York/Bogotá, 31 October, 2016 - The United Nations Security Council sent a letter to the Secretary General today giving the green light to the UN Mission in Colombia to verify the ceasefire and cessation of hostilities, following a request from the the Government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia—People’s Army (FARC-EP).

"We welcome the Security Council members’ unanimous support to the parties’ decision to maintain a bilateral and definitive ceasefire—and to the UN Mission’s work," said the Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) and head of the UN Mission in Colombia, Jean Arnault.

"This is also a boost to Colombia’s peace process and a national consensus on a final peace agreement, to be reached as soon as possible," he added.

With the backing of the Security Council, the UN Mission will roll out all functions previously approved in resolution 2261 of 25 January 2106, except those related to the laying down of arms, which will be postponed until the successful conclusion of the political dialogue and the adoption of a new Final Agreement.

UN Mission functions include organizing operational aspects of the joint ceasefire Monitoring and Verification Mechanism, formed by the Government of Colombia, FARC-EP and coordinated by the UN Mission. It also entails visiting FARC-EP camps and Public Force units to ensure compliance with the ceasefire and cessation of hostilities. The UN Mission will also liaise with local populations to ensure that their rights are being respected.

The SRSG and UN Mission Chief stressed that the plebiscite results strengthened a national consensus around not returning to violence.

"The Mission seeks to promote public confidence that, however complex the ongoing political dialogue may be, a point of no return has been reached in the search for peace in Colombia," Jean Arnault said.

]]>delegation@farc-epeace.org (FARC-EP)Other communiquésMon, 31 Oct 2016 00:00:00 +0000UN Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict Welcomes the Planned Separation of Children Associated with the FARC-EPhttp://farc-epeace.org/communiques/other-communiques/item/1625-un-special-representative-for-children-and-armed-conflict-welcomes-the-planned-separation-of-children-associated-with-the-farc-ep.html
http://farc-epeace.org/communiques/other-communiques/item/1625-un-special-representative-for-children-and-armed-conflict-welcomes-the-planned-separation-of-children-associated-with-the-farc-ep.html

New York – The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Leila Zerrougui, welcomes the announcement by the Government of Colombia and the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia-Ejército del Pueblo (FARC-EP) that they will begin the separation and reintegration of all children under 18 associated with the FARC-EP on 10 September.

“I am heartened to see that the commitment and tireless efforts of all those involved in this process, especially the Government of Colombia and the FARC-EP, are about to bring tangible results for children deeply affected by the conflict,” declared Leila Zerrougui. The separation and reintegration of children will be done in compliance with the agreement signed in Havana, Cuba on 15 May 2016.

On Tuesday, the Government of Colombia and the FARC-EP further agreed on a protocol detailing steps for the separation and reintegration of children who will leave the FARC-EP camps, in accordance with the principle of the best interest of the child, and ensuring their treatment as victims. The final peace agreement of 24 August recalled the primacy of child rights, in accordance with the Constitution of Colombia. It is therefore important to ensure the restoration of these rights without delay to guarantee the children can experience a childhood and adolescence in peace.

Children leaving the FARC-EP camps will receive care and services to respond to their specific needs to ensure their successful reintegration, with the support of the United Nations Fund for Children (UNICEF) and partners.

This process provides unique momentum for building a strong and durable peace that will leave no one behind. “By saying ’yes’ to peace, the Government and the FARC-EP, supported by the United Nations and civil society, are signaling a desire to work together towards a common objective and build a better future for these children and for the country as a whole,” Leila Zerrougui stated. In accordance with the wishes expressed by the parties, she stands ready to support, accompany and oversee the implementation of the agreement, and looks forward to the separation of the first group of children on Saturday.

]]>delegation@farc-epeace.org (Rolo)Other communiquésWed, 14 Sep 2016 00:00:00 +0000FMLN welcomes the Peace Agreement between the Government of Colombia and the FARC-EPhttp://farc-epeace.org/communiques/other-communiques/item/1579-fmln-welcomes-the-peace-agreement-between-the-government-of-colombia-and-the-farc-ep.html
http://farc-epeace.org/communiques/other-communiques/item/1579-fmln-welcomes-the-peace-agreement-between-the-government-of-colombia-and-the-farc-ep.html

The Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN), permanently committed to social justice, peace and solidarity among peoples of the world, greets with great joy the heroic Colombian people for having reached the historic peace agreement signed on 24 August 2016 between the Government of the Republic of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People's Army, ending more than half a century of armed conflict and laying the foundation for national reconciliation and construction of a stable and lasting peace.

The FMLN, as a faithful representative of the Salvadoran people and as a revolutionary force that has experienced firsthand the ups and downs that involves a process of peace through negotiation, congratulates President Juan Manuel Santos and his government for the courage and tenacity to bring forward the process of dialogue and negotiation, despite the many difficulties it was facing in its different stages. The FMLN congratulates the FARC-EP for its political maturity shown during the process and for remaining committed to the ideal of a Colombia free of social, economic and political inequalities.

The FMLN salutes the Governments of the Republic of Cuba, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, the Republic of Chile and the Kingdom of Norway, the rest of companion countries and the United Nations, for having accompanied without discouragement the noble deed of the search of peace for the Colombian people.

The FMLN reaffirms its commitment to continue to accompany with its experience and solidarity the process of building peace in Colombia from the various national and international spaces in which it operates, including the Salvadoran Friendship Group for Peace in Colombia, which since October 2015 has been doing a lot of work to support the advancement of the peace process in the sister country.

As internationalist antifascist volunteers of InterUnit in the Ghost Brigade (Prizrak) of the Lugansk People's Republic, Donbass-Novorossiya, we send our fraternal greetings to the comrades of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army (FARC-EP), and through you to all the Colombian people, for having achieved the final signing of the peace agreement between yourselves and the government of President Santos.

This agreement, the result of a great joint effort, not free obstacles and complications, again highlights the ongoing effort and conviction of the FARC fighters to achieve peace for the Colombian people through all these years of war.

In these historic moments, the Colombian people will rise to complete this feat, confirming the peace agreement by a majority at the polls.

We also trust that the FARC-EP has sufficient force to ensure full compliance with the agreements, and will continue fighting to build a new Colombia, in justice and dignity for all people, just as they have done for more than 50 years in the mountains.

Quite a few enemies of peace in Colombia, following their narrow interests, will do their utmost to continue fostering conditions of chaos and confrontation to create a war scenario. It is impossible not to recall the nefarious actions of U.S. imperialism and its traditional militarist interventionism, as one of the main things responsible for this fratricidal war. We hope for everyone’s sake that they are kept at bay throughout this process.

We will, however, continue to monitor this development, with the certainty that now more than ever our Colombian brethren need support and international solidarity to ensure the realization of each of point of the agreement, to fully achieve peace, justice and freedom.

Therefore we part by confirming our antifascist, internationalist commitment, emphasizing the slogan of this new phase of the revolutionary struggle waged by the people of Colombia: "They are not alone” ("No están solos").

Because together all our struggles against injustice will prevail.

¡Hasta la victoria siempre!

¡NO PASARÁN!

InterUnit - PrizrakAugust 2016

]]>delegation@farc-epeace.org (FARC-EP)Other communiquésWed, 31 Aug 2016 00:00:00 +0000Party of the European Left expresses joy for Final Agreementhttp://farc-epeace.org/communiques/other-communiques/item/1569-party-of-the-european-left-expresses-joy-for-final-agreement.html
http://farc-epeace.org/communiques/other-communiques/item/1569-party-of-the-european-left-expresses-joy-for-final-agreement.html

STATEMENT ON THE FINAL PEACE AGREEMENT IN COLOMBIA

The Party of the European Left expresses its joy for the signing of the "Final agreement for the termination of conflict and the construction of a stable and durable peace", signed in La Havana, Cuba the 24th of August 2016 between the FARC-EP and the Colombian government.

We would also like to acknowledge the role of the architects of this agreement after the first meeting of the conversation table on the 18th of October 2012 in Oslo an the vital role played by Cuba and Norway as leading countries as well as of Venezuela and Chile as accompanying countries.

The implementation of the far-reaching agreement, which needs to be ratified by a referendum in Colombia in October, has, besides the construction of peace and national reconciliation, the people as its main beneficiary. This agreement between the government and the FARC has to be integrated into society especially into the organized sectors so that it will have a positive impact on the immediate development. At the same time the dismantling of para-militarism as well as the accomplices in the state apparatus is pending.

The final agreement pays special attention to the fundamental rights of all vulnerable social groups, to land ownership and its concentration, to the exclusion of the peasantry and the backwardness of the rural communities which affects women and children especially, and addresses development and improvement of living conditions.

In it also 6 more vital points are gathered like the comprehensive rural reform, the political participation with a democratic openness to construct peace, the bilateral and definite case of fire and hostilities and the laying down of arms, a proposal on a solution regarding the problem of illicit drugs, a comprehensive agreement dedicated to the victims, as well as how the agreement shall be implemented through a follow-up and implementation commission.

The EL hopes and trusts that a positive agreement, helping to build peace, can also be concluded with the other rebel group - the ELN.

The transformation of the FARC into a movement without will undoubtedly help constructing the project of a strong left, which shall brain soon be able to construct - from the streets as well as through the ballot boxes - a new country with the human being as focal point.